Olga Rybalko

Olga Rybalko is a Ukrainian-Canadian painter based in Vancouver, BC, working primarily in oils. Her work centers on still life and landscape painting, with a deep attention to narrative, light, and the quiet feeling of a moment that lingers after you've left the room.

Born in Sevastopol, Ukraine, Olga grew up alongside the Mediterranean-like coastline of the Black Sea. Her love of painting was sparked in childhood, watching artists display and sell their work along the Prymors'kyi Boulevard on summer weekends, a memory that planted the seed of who she would become. When her family immigrated to Canada at 13, a world of opportunity opened up, and the dream of becoming an artist began to feel possible in a real way.

Olga's practice is rooted in traditional technique and built through years of dedicated study: university training, workshops, lessons from fellow painters, and above all, sustained practice. She often works directly from life, letting each painting develop through careful observation and honest response to what's in front of her. Her still life work in particular explores the stories that objects carry, arranging scenes that hint at a life, a history, or a presence without spelling it out. A well-placed object, a quality of light, a sense that someone just left the room: these are the things she paints toward.

Her work is held in private collections across Canada and internationally.

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